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Some of the FAANG companies are meeting today at the White House to discuss software and the most recent security breach of software that’s been harvesting your personal data.
Tech Lingo you need to know before reading:
FAANG: /’fah-ang ‘/ noun
FAANG is a group of the major BIG TECH companies, also known as the “Tech Giants”. FAANG is made up of these companies; Facebook (now Meta), Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google. Together they make the acronym FAANG, which could be considered MAANG now due to Facebook’s recent name change.
Open-Source: noun
Open-source is software that allows its users to create and change the code and distribute that program to whomever for whatever purpose.
What’s Happening?
I have this odd love for DC. DC definitely has my heart. A weekend in Adams Morgan, discovering hidden coffee shops, a walk in the city, the spa, and a dinner date to Vapiano’s resuscitates me after months of working hard to grow a company and keep my grades up.
DC is also the heart of America’s government and where hefty discussions are challenged, enforced, and regulated. Today the Biden administration will meet with federal agencies as well as some members of FAANG including Amazon, Google, and other tech giants like IBM to discuss APACHE and the LINUX foundation’s open-source coding challenges presented due to the Log4j logging tool.
How Did This Happen?
If you were not aware, there is software by the company Apache, called Log4j. Log4j is a software framework that logs, tracks, and pulls data. If you are not familiar with the world of software, let me just say that software is a NEVER-ENDING cycle. Once you build it, you then are forever testing, improving, debugging flaws, and releasing new versions. The Apache Log4j software recently had a bug or flaw in the code, (typical for any piece of software), BUT hackers took advantage of this bug (this is what hackers do. They take advantage of bugs and flaws inside of software for malicious intent). When hackers exploit software, they can inject viruses, take control, and steal data.
What Does This Have To Do With Me?
If you have a health-tracking app or piece of software on your phone, watch, or in your shoes, then there’s a possibility that your data has been compromised. Although, you may be okay and nothing should happen to your personal information, just know that you have probably been compromised thousands of times before this. Do you use Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, or Mcdonald’s public wifi? If you do use public internet, do you use a VPN for protection??? If not, ooohhhh noooo baby! What is you doin?!
Do you attend vendor events, set up your table, and then take payments over a mobile card reader WHILE hooked up to the hotel or event centers internet? If so, you have just compromised your customer’s credit card information. Ohhhhhhh noooooooooo!!! It’s okay, we are going to help you stay secure- just keep reading. Log4j is software that records user data and the behavior of various apps. The Wall Street Journal reports that there are MILLIONS of hacker attempts made per HOUR. Many everyday people, micro and small business owners do not feel like they can EVER be hacked and have all of their information hi-jacked and held Ransome. Well it’s kind of too late- you have probably already had your information stolen and placed on the black market. It’s just a matter of time before you get that call from your bank asking if you’re in Nebraska trying to make a payment of $200 for Ski-lift equipment. If large companies can be compromised, so can you. Especially if you aren’t familiar with basic cybersecurity hygiene.
Here are some things you can do RIGHT now to lock down your personal information.
- Get a Cybersecurity Scan HERE. This scan is only $15 and it will tell you which sites had a breach (AND DIDN’T TELL YOU), what information of yours was leaked, and when.
- Manage your passwords better HERE. No more writing passwords on sticky notes. It’s two-thousand and twenty-two.
- Secure your connections with a VPN Service when using public wifi connections, like at that coffee shop.
Today’s Lunch/Dinner Time Discussion :
So, how do you feel about your information being tracked and shared with companies to improve products?
Do you feel safe purchasing with small businesses knowing that 98% of them do not take cybersecurity measures to keep your credit card information safe ??
Thank you for coming to my #LaurensTechTalks #TPTTechTalks
